Admission to MEnv or MSc or MEnvEd or MEngMgt or MEnvMgt or MEnvStud or MEnvPlan or MPlan or MSusDev or MWldMgt or MMarScMgt or MSocEntre or GradDipEnv or GradCertEnv or GradCertSusDev or GradDipSusDev or GradCertEnvPlan or MConsBiol or GradDipConsBiol

Corequisites

Corequisites

Co-badged status

Co-badged status

ENVS718

Unit description

Unit description

This unit focuses on the issues influencing environmental planning and policy in Australia. It examines contemporary policy and practice affecting areas such as strategic land, biodiversity, water, mining and transport planning. There is a strong emphasis on the development and enhancement of critical analysis and constructive review of plans and policies and the development of practical skills used and required by professionals working in the field of environmental management and planning. The unit includes a field trip where students will learn and apply a range of techniques that are used to develop urban policies and plans.

Assessment Tasks

Environmental strategy review

Due: 21/08/2018
Weighting: 20%

The purpose of this assessment is to explore theory and practice of preparing strategic environmental plans for a city.

This assignment has 3 parts. The first is to examine the academic literature, government guidelines, and industry reports that critically review and or outline what should (or should not) be in a strategic plan. The second part is to undertaken a comparative analysis of three strategic plans (this should contain at least one Australian and one international example). Your comparison may involve a strengths, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) analysis or similar technique. The intention of this component is to assess the adequacy or otherwise of three actual strategic plans. Your discussion section, part 3, will then critically assess your plans against what is good practice.

Field work reflection

Due: 04/09/2018
Weighting: 5%

The purpose of this assessment is to get you to reflect on the field trip and how it contributed to your understanding of environmental planning issues at the local level.

Using the template provided on iLearn you are expected to analyse and reflect on your personal learning experience during the field trip as well as discuss the practical application of these learnings.

2. Apply environmental and planning law and policy to the decision-making process of government and industry

4. Write for different target audiences

5. Develop individual and group writing and research skills

Policy briefing report

Due: 02/10/2018
Weighting: 35%

The purpose of this assessment is to deepen your understanding in one area of environmental policy. You will apply research and critical analysis skills and extend your writing and communication skills. You will also apply your insights within an organisational context by way of evaluating the practical and policy implication.

You are required to write a briefing report (using a standard template) for the executive of a state government department or local council (choose one or the other) on the impacts of an environmental policy/framework on its strategy and operations. Your topics can include:

NSW Coastal Management Framework

Vegetation SEPP

NSW Government Greener Places Policy

Regional plan for the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Park precinct

You may like to choose your own topic and if so you MUST see and have this agreed by the unit convenor prior to commencing your assignment.

Environmental assessment

Due: 30/10/2018
Weighting: 40%

This is a problem based learning and group assessment (maximum 4 students)

As a group task you are to prepare a review of environmental factors (REF) that would accompany a development application for a project. This is designed as a practical exercise to test your application of theory and learning across the semester. The details of the site and activity of the REF will be based on the field trip (25 August).

Student Code of Conduct

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

2. Apply environmental and planning law and policy to the decision-making process of government and industry

4. Write for different target audiences

Assessment tasks

Field work reflection

Policy briefing report

Environmental assessment

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

Learning outcomes

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

5. Develop individual and group writing and research skills

Assessment tasks

Environmental strategy review

Field work reflection

Policy briefing report

Environmental assessment

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

Assessment tasks

Environmental strategy review

Field work reflection

Policy briefing report

Environmental assessment

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

Learning outcomes

2. Apply environmental and planning law and policy to the decision-making process of government and industry

5. Develop individual and group writing and research skills

Assessment tasks

Environmental strategy review

Field work reflection

Policy briefing report

Environmental assessment

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

Learning outcomes

2. Apply environmental and planning law and policy to the decision-making process of government and industry

Assessment tasks

Policy briefing report

Environmental assessment

Changes from Previous Offering

This unit introduces new content related to the management of the coastal .environment reflecting student interest in this topic area. This has meant some content, such as mining has been excluded from the lectures. If students are interested in these topics their knowledge can they can be pursed within the major policy assessment task.

The full day field trip has shifted location from western Sydney to the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Park precinct and the final assessment task will be based on a site and proposed activity in this area.

A new in class field trip is proposed for this year to Barangaroo. This will complement the content and final class visit to the Coal Loader site at North Sydney.

Changes since First Published

Date

Description

05/09/2018

I have updated the unit guide with the final schedule and adjusted assessment task